From beauty queen to Hollywood

Vanessa Williams made history in September 1983 when she became the first African-American woman to be crowned Miss America. Despite giving up the title nearly a year later after nude photos from her pre-pageant days were published, she went onto a singing and acting career that has seen her ear Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award nominations.

Every aspiring celebrity has to start somewhere, and for certain stars that somewhere was the world of fake eyelashes, makeup and spray tans known as beauty pageants. Take a look at which stars were beauty queens first.

An Iranian military observation aircraft flew within 50 yards of an armed U.S. Navy helicopter over the Persian Gulf this month, sparking concern that top Iranian commanders might not be in full control of local forces, CNN has learned.